Eligibility
Program Description
Visa and Travel Documents
Getting There
AFS Orientations and Activities
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- Be between 16 years 0 months and 18 years 0 months old at the start of the program
- Have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Be in good mental, physical, and emotional health in accordance with the AFS Medical Evaluation Policy
- Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
Program Description
As with all AFS high school programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family while attending a local host school. Learn more about life in New Zealand.
Students are placed throughout New Zealand. Most placements are rural or semi-rural so you will need to be prepared for living in isolated areas where your social life may be influenced by lack of easy transport and distance to the nearest town.
New Zealand cannot accept strict dietary restrictions such as vegans but will accept vegetarians, who may need to be able to cook their own dishes as most host families eat red meat.
Visa and Travel Documents
In order to participate in this program, you must have a passport that is valid for six months longer than your intended stay.
In addition to your passport, you also need a visa to enter and reside in your host country.
The visa application process for New Zealand is detailed, time-consuming, and costly. It involves collecting a number of documents including a statement of good health from your physician, an original State-issued birthday certificate and official academic transcripts (transcripts must be notarized, officially translated, and legalized with apostilles), among other documents.
After you have been accepted into the program and in the months prior to your departure, AFS will provide you with detailed instructions regarding the required documents and how to apply for your visa.
Getting There
You and your fellow AFSers will travel together from one of the gateway cities in the United States. You all will arrive in the large port city of Auckland, collect your baggage and pass through customs. You will be met by AFS staff and volunteers and will participate in a welcome orientation together. You will then travel to your host community by plane or bus, which may be some distance away.
Gateway orientation will be held on a regional level four to six weeks after you arrive. By this time you will be getting used to life in a new country and may have many questions to ask. Most nights finish with a show where each country group performs a dance, song or skit from their homeland.
AFS Orientations and Activities
AFS will provide you with several orientations throughout your experience. These orientations give you a chance to gather important information about your host country, to meet other AFS teens from around the world, to share experiences and make friends. These group activities give you a chance to understand and process your intercultural learning experience during your time abroad as well as when you are returning home.
You will attend a local orientation held on a weekend about six weeks after arrival, which will allow you to catch up with your friends, share your experiences and ask questions. AFS pays the cost of this orientation.
AFS volunteers will organize several fun activities for you during your stay. These may include informal get-togethers, weekend outings, picnics and camping trips.
Lastly, there is the End-of-Stay camp, a time to get together with other AFSers before you return home. The End-of-Stay camp is about looking back at your exchange and sharing memories with other AFSers. It is also about thinking of the future. This regional event is compulsory for all AFSers, AFS pays the cost of this orientation.
These required orientations are intended to help you maximize the AFS experience, prevent culture shock and to gain knowledge, skills and a global understanding.
